Balto: Break of Sanity
by Mojotheomegawolf
Summary: When Jenna goes missing, Balto will stop at nothing to find her. Can he find her before it's too late?
1. Chapter 1

Balto: Break of Sanity

**A/N Throw out anything you know about the movie. This is a completely different scenario. **

Prologue

Balto and Jenna have known each other for at least three years now, dating secretly under fear of the town's opinions. They were, however finally discovered by Rosy. The couple was inseparable and after several attempts at it, Mr. Hudson (Rosie's father) decided to accept facts. Two years later, Balto and Jenna were blessed with a single pup of which they named Alue. She had the appearance of a wolf, even more so than her proud father. She was raised by her father until she was about a year old and had all of the knowledge and skills of a purebred wolf. About three months after her first birthday, she decided that she was going to leave town to find a home where she would belong and feel accepted; so she ventured to the coast and picked up a pack of her own.

Nome was hit hard by Diphtheria and the medicine team lead by Steele became lost and failed to bring it back. Determined to save Rosy and the other children, Balto journeyed out to find the lost team with Jenna faithfully at his side. (He couldn't convince her otherwise) Boris, Luk, and Muk wanted to help and came as well. Jenna fell from a cliff to the ground ten feet below and was rewarded with a sprained right foreleg. Balto sent her home with Boris, Luk, and Muk going on alone to find the lost sled team. A day after separating, Balto found the team and led them back to Nome saving hundreds of lives. He was so blasted by applause and praise that he failed to notice that his mate and friends weren't present. He ran off into the woods for the night to escape all of the grimy hands and later kicked himself for not checking in on Jenna. But for now it was late. He would bunk down here for the night and check on her the next morning.

Chapter 1 Balto

Balto howled softly under the upstairs window knowing well that Jenna would click down the stairs with someone close behind to let her out. Balto sat back on his haunches in the crisp morning air with the sun just peeking over the horizon at his back with a smile spread across his light muzzle and stared up at the window. The longer he waited, the smaller his anxious smile became and soon after no commotion that would suggest the presence of the Hudson family, it was replaced by a confused frown. He tilted his head and stood up; making his way around to the front of the house pausing at the front door. He pressed his ear flat against the door and listened. Nothing. He tilted his head again and let out a soft whine as he scratched on the door with a socked paw and waited. Nothing.

'How odd,' he thought to himself then sniffed under the crack of the door in a long draw and snorted his disapproval when no recent signs of life reached his nostrils. He blinked slowly then a sudden thought hit him.

'Maybe they're all at the hospital with Rosy,' he thought to himself as he turned and began making his way into town.

After a short stroll and little attention from the mostly sleeping town, he arrived at the hospital and stood on his hind legs placing his forelegs up on the window sill to Rosie's room. He peered into the room and saw her lying in bed asleep. Neither Jenna nor the Hudsons were there. He pushed off and began making his way back to the trawler.

'Boris oughtta have an answer,' he thought to himself as he drew near his home. Little did he know that the answer Boris had was one he hoped he'd never have to hear.

Balto closed in ten yards to his home and saw Boris walking around outside with what looked like an expression of worry plastered on his face. Balto padded up to Boris who was so deep in thought he didn't notice until he heard, "What's the matter, Boris?"

Boris jumped and feathers flew. When the air cleared, Boris was lying flat on his back in the snow. "Balto!" he exclaimed after regaining his senses. He stood up and brushed off the snow that still clung to him. "Don't sneak up on me like that unless you want me to have heart attack!" his heavy Russian accent chopped his speech slightly.

Balto couldn't help a chuckle. "Sorry, Boris," he laughed, but trailed off when he noticed the condition of his friend. Boris's feathers, normally neat and clean, ruffled and dirty; his eyes were baggy, and he looked as though he hadn't slept in days.

"Are you okay?" Balto asked concerned.

"I'm fine," Boris said assuring.

"Well, okay," Balto began, not wanting to keep on the subject, "I was over at Jenna's house earlier and she wasn't home. In fact, no one was. The house was completely empty an…" he trailed off hearing a sigh come from Boris who was looking down at his feet. "Boris, is there something wrong?"

"No, of course not," he honked. Balto's gaze met his and he knew that he'd been read. "Balto, I need to tell you something. Sit down." He sighed again as Balto eased back onto his haunches. Boris ran a wing over the back of his neck and began. "The Hudson family isn't home right now because they've been spending the last thirty six hours abroad looking for…" he trailed off and looked down again.

"Looking for who," Balto asked worried. When Boris looked up again there were tears welling up in his eyes. "Boris, who. Answer me damn it!"

Boris inhaled deeply and managed to choke out, "Looking for Jenna." This hit Balto like a truck. He just sat where he was dumbfounded. Seeing as that Balto said nothing, Boris continued.

"I didn't want to have to tell you boy chick, but there have been no signs of her since we dragged her in two days ago."

Balto flattened his ears. He sent her home with Boris after she hurt her leg. Boris had been talking the whole time Balto was thinking. Balto concluded his thoughts and came in at "…the weather hasn't been favorable lately and it's likely that…"

"Where was she last seen," Balto interrupted.

I already told you, at the boiler room. Everyone I talked to there said that she got angry about something and ran out. If I'm not mistaken, I think it was something Steele said that upset her."

Balto rolled his eyes at the mention of his lifelong bully then remembered Boris saying something about the weather. "What were you saying about the weather?"

Boris thought at the question then snapped his finger-like feathers as he began. "As you know, I am goose; and as such, I have a great knowledge in weather and what is survivable. Jenna has been out in the elements for _at least _thirty-eight hours now and we've had whiteout conditions as I'm sure you're aware. So…" he cleared his throat.

"What," Balto asked concerned with the fact that his friend had trailed off in mid-sentence.

"I am regretting to the fact that her chances of survival are slim; and with the injury on her leg, it lowered them to nearly impossible."

A possible hint of anger flashed into Balto's eyes. "So, you'd just give up that easily, huh?"

"Balto, I haven't slept in two days, and have flown over every inch of Nome and the surrounding ten miles. I haven't found a single footprint. I'm just not sure, fighto, I'm just not sure." Boris concluded by burying his face tiredly into his wings.

Balto thought for a moment, moving his eyes as he weighed his options in his head, then flattened his ears and stood up. Boris noticed and peered at Balto with his wings still on the side of his face, but said nothing, so Balto turned and began walking. Boris watched him briefly.

"Where are you going," Boris asked remaining where he stood.

"I'm going to find Jenna. You may be willing to give up on her, but she means more to me than life itself. I'm not coming home until she is safe." Balto spoke with his head turned back over his shoulder.

"Balto…" Boris began to say; but Balto turned and began trotting off alone, and in a matter of moments, disappeared into the glare of the early morning sun.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Jenna

Jenna climbed out of the snow covered shelter she dug in the lee side of a hill and shook off the flakes that still clung to her tangled fur. Once the most of it was gone, she sat out in the fresh, clean air and breathed it in greedily taking note of the hunger that burned deep in her stomach. She was lost, alone; she felt a sudden hopelessness flood over her and briefly thought of Rosy. Jenna knew she would be heartbroken if she woke to find her dog missing. Or would she even wake at all? Was it already too late? Oh God. She longed to go home and be with her companion; but not until the task ahead was done.

_Two Days Ago_

_Jenna walked between Mr. and Mrs. Hudson through the middle of town to clear their heads from the great dark cloud that hung over their heads. She usually enjoyed their company and would laugh with them in their own way (though she couldn't understand what was being said) but not this time; the mood shared by the two humans was sullen and stressful. Mr. and Mrs. Hudson stepped into the local general store leaving Jenna out on the porch. She watched the new machines known as auto mobiles roll by as she sat alone awaiting the return of her humans. She still favored her leg that gave protest to weight now and she had to lay down to please it placing her head down on her paws. She was drifting off into a daydream about the way things used to be before this dreadful turn of events. She was lying next to her mate by the dim light of the fire place with Rosy in between stroking the two lovingly. Jenna subconsciously wished to stay in this perfect world. Here she could be happy again. _

_She was snapped out from her temporary Heaven by a faint hissing sound. She raised her head from her paws and straitened her ears, twitching them rapidly to locate the source._

"_Hey," whispered a voice from the nearby alley way._

_Jenna slowly rose to her feet and turned to the direction of the sound. The voice she heard was familiar but impossible, a former ghost of a being that was many miles away. She rounded the corner of the alley way and from behind a stack of crates rose a large black and white husky with broad shoulders and a glinting gold collar hanging dominantly around his thick neck._

"_Steele," Jenna uttered flabbergasted. She felt awkward being near him seeing as that she'd chosen Balto over him. She could still sense the pain of his defeat. _

"_Surprise," Steele said rolling his shoulders, "I knew you'd miss me, Jenna, but I didn't expect you to be so lost for words," he said sleazily. _

_He was right about one thing though, Jenna was completely shocked. "I thought you and your team were lost in the storm," she said suspiciously._

"_Well, I thought I'd just pop in for a little visit," Steele teased trying to avoid the accusation, "I came back all alone, half dead and almost frozen," he began cornily, "My team is gone," he said with a false concern._

"_Jenna," called Mr. Hudson._

_Steele shrunk back slightly then regained. "I was never here, understood?" He turned and disappeared into the shadows. _

_Jenna bounded out of the alley and up to where Mr. Hudson and his wife stood. Jenna had decided then that she would go to the boiler room that night to talk with the other dogs that always were there. She was the only one aware of Balto's plans. They might laugh, but they had to know that the children had a glimmer of hope. _

_Later That Night_

_The wind was stiff that night and a steady precipitation of snow was carried with it as the group of dogs took in what Jenna had just told them_

"_I don't get it. How could Balto hope to find Steele and his team? They were off the trail," argued a tan husky with a brown spot on his back._

"_Well, he's tracking them," Jenna answered._

"_That mutt! Tracking a championship team, in a blizzard!" Laughter erupted from the group of about ten. Jenna was just about to come back when a loud thud sounded and a flurry of snow swirled in on a cold breeze. The dogs all turned to the ice covered dog that loomed in the shady doorway._

"_Balto," Jenna asked hopefully. The dog moved into the light and his face became visible. Jenna rolled her eyes._

"_Steele," everyone except Jenna stated shocked._

_Jenna had heard enough. She heard Steele tell her to her face that Balto was dead and the medicine. He backed up his story by producing her bandanna from his collar. She was momentarily saddened then looked Steele in the eyes and accused him of lying. She collected her bandanna and three legged walked out into the night. The snowfall had become less intense and she sat out alone on a hill with a lantern at her feet. She watched the snow dance in the dim light it threw out in front of her. She let out a sigh and frost appeared from her muzzle rising and curling until it disappeared from sight. She looked back at the sleepy town that illuminated from seemingly out of nowhere and made a decision. She had to find Balto. She just had to._

**A/N**

I apologize for any confusion in phrases and such as well as the sloppiness of chapter 1 I'm an Australian Texan so I got kinda screwed there. Any way there's chapter two. Please leave me a review and tell me what you think. Please be honest with me, I don't want to have anything pissing people off.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 The copper ghost

Balto padded down a natural path carved over time through the trees by wind and rain. The pines that towered over fifty feet above him on each side were stripped bare from the recent storm. He padded on in silence saving the sound of snow crunching under his paws with each step. He tried putting his nose to work but found nothing; all recent scents had been erased by the blizzard. Now what? He continued on for another mile when a familiar scent gripped his nose and veered him left to a small hill and from atop, gazed down upon a wide river frozen over with a descent layer of ice. He stood atop and scanned the bank on the other side. On the third sweep of his eyes, he saw a copper blur move between two trees on the far bank. Had he imagined it?

Suddenly a snarl invaded his ears making them and the fur on his back stand on end. The copper blur danced out into an open space and, as Balto squinted to identify it, he saw her. She was the copper ghost. Jenna was looking around hurriedly with something in her mouth as Balto started making his way down the hill. What he saw next made him stop dead in his tracks. A nine foot grizzly lumbered out of the trees. It took a step toward Jenna with the clear intention to kill. Balto began again sliding down the remaining few feet of the hill and bolted across the river. As Balto began ascending the other bank, Jenna dropped the item she carried and jumped, latching onto the bear's thigh. The bear cried out and kicked her off making her bounce across the snow.

Balto saw this and sailed in grabbing the bear's foot. The bear kicked and Balto was thrown into a tree temporarily stunning him. The bear got down on all fours and began stalking over to Jenna who was just gaining her footing. The bear slapped her in the side with his paw causing her to roll twice before stopping on her back. Balto picked up his head and opened his eyes. His vision blurred and danced about. He shook this off and staggered to his feet. He charged toward the bear of which had already pinned Jenna down with one paw and began pushing her down into the snow.

Ribs began snapping as Balto flew in at the bear's throat only to be batted away by its free paw. Balto slid on his side and stopped. He shook snow from his head and growled as he regained his footing. He charged in again and moments later stopped dead in his tracks with another ten feet or so to go; his jaw dropping until it hung slack. The bear had seconds ago laid Jenna's face open with his claws; blood flowed freely from four deep gashes along the length of her face and side of her neck. Balto's eyes welled up with tears for he knew that her time was limited. He didn't bother going after the bear that had reseized the caribou leg in his mouth. Balto ran up to her and slid to a stop a few feet from her side.

He nuzzled her and her eyes flickered open slightly seeing her mate standing by her side. She tried to speak and lifted her head slightly but was too weak and her head fell back to the snow.

"Jenna, look at me, it's not even that bad," he pleaded with tears rolling through the fur on his cheeks, "come on we can fix this."

Jenna's breath began to gurgle and her eyes glazed slightly.

"Hey! Don't you give up on me. Jenna!"

Her eyes began losing focus and her body went limp.

"No. No no no no, Jenna, look at me, Jenna!" He shook her with his paw after he said her name the first time. He hung his head.

"Oh God, no. Please no," he cried then began sobbing uncontrollably.

Balto licked her head with his broad tongue and saw the scarf around her neck torn and bloody. He gingerly removed it and would take it back with him. It was the only way for him to tell the Hudsons what had happened. He laid it down at his feet and ran his eyes over the lifeless body of his mate. He gingerly hoisted her up onto his shoulders and walked. About ten minutes later, he came upon what he was looking for; an easily recognizable burial spot. It was a tall pine tree with a snow covered shrub on each side. He placed her gently on the ground and dug out her final resting place. He gently placed her in and said one last goodbye to his beloved mate taken from him before her time by the cruelty of fate. He pushed the snow over her and turned making his way back to the clearing. He picked slung the bandanna over his shoulder, hung his head, then began walking solemnly back to Nome.

**A/N**

The next chapter will be coming soon; but I must warn you; from here on out, things get pretty dicey. There is going to be death, pain, misery, for Balto has finally broken.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Smoke rings in the dark

Boris Luk and Muk stared through a small round window at a most sad sight. Balto was lying in the main den under his old blanket; flies unshaken by the cold buzzed and crawled endlessly around his ears and face. His fur was dirty and tangled from lack of grooming. He'd not spoken a single word after he brought the bandanna to the Hudson family; but breaking the news to them wasn't nearly as painful as the pain and tears that fell from Alue. The bandanna stayed with him and now hung loosely around his neck. He also slept little and the sniffs and sobs had finally died away; but now he just lay motionless in the middle of the floor with little interest in anything.

"He's just laid there for three days," Boris began, looking sadly at Luk and Muk who just hung their heads and whimpered softly, "He hasn't eaten, spoke, slept, or moved and looks like he's finally broken. Jenna meant the world to him and now she's gone; taking with her, Balto's spirit and life."

Boris sighed and turned to walk away, but decided to have a talk with his friend. He sent the bears on their way and, after they left, he slapped over and stopped a few feet in front of Balto's face and had to look briefly away. He couldn't stand to see Balto this way. His lively yellow eyes had turned dull and glassy and had crusted eye fluid on the bottom lid. Balto spotted Boris in front of him and closed his eyes with a sigh and looked away. Boris stood silently for a moment and collected his thoughts.

"Balto… if Jenna were still al… I mean around, she wouldn't want you tearing yourself away from everything. Y…"

Balto was suddenly on his feet and looked Boris straight in the eyes making his friend shrink back slightly. "What makes you think you know anything," his voice was surprisingly strong, "You have no idea of the pain this has caused me. She meant more to me than you, or any other shallow bastard could ever realize and I let her die. It was my fault."

"Balto, it wasn't…"

Balto let out an annoyed exhale, "try having to explain to a little girl that you let her dog die; you, being the one that was supposed to always look out for her. Then try having to tell your daughter that her mother is dead."

"Balto…"

Balto turned and began making his way toward the plank that leads over the side of the trawler to the ground below. Pure hatred boiled in his fiery eyes. He paused briefly when his forepaws contacted the cold snow. He took in a deep breath and continued on the exhale.

He was stopped again by, "Where are you going?" Boris slapped down the plank and over to Balto who didn't even look back but began again.

"Vengeance won't change anything," Boris began; Balto stopped and tensed. "No matter what, Jenna's gone, and there is nothing you can do to change that."

Balto whirled around and pinned Boris's neck to the snow with his paw. "Don't say that. Not now." He pushed down harder then picked his paw up and continued on leaving Boris on his back stunned and gasping for breath. Balto had come to a pact within himself. He would hunt down the bear and take its life; even if it took the rest of his.

**A/N**

I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, I may come back later and lengthen it, but I promise you that you won't be disappointed with the next chapter. Good and violent. Stick around.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 Break of Sanity

**Warning. **

**This chapter contains explicit language that may not be appropriate for all readers. I strongly advise you to ask for consent before reading.**

Rage pushed him past his breaking point. He no longer thought, but did. Any obstacle that stood in his way was quickly eliminated. Permanently. Boris followed silently behind for he knew that last time he opened his mouth it nearly cost him his life. Balto no longer had a grip on sanity and became a trembling, hate driven ball of rage fueled by determination to find the bear he sought out to find. He was now nearing the path. He walked down the path once again and veered off to the same small hill that over looked the same river, now thinning due to the warming temperatures and swift current underneath. He began making his way across and the closer he got to the far bank, the angrier he became until he reached the clearing in which Jenna had died. He looked around with his ears pointed and tail erect waiting. He was breathing heavily and a spurt of hate surged up inside of him. He didn't care if the bear could understand him or not.

"Well, I'm back! Come on out and find me you bastard! You've taken everything from me God damn it! Come on out and face me so I can rip your fucking heart out!" he paused and looked around. "Well, what are you waiting for? **I WANT YOU OUT HERE RIGHT NOW!"**

His last word echoed around the vast and barren landscape until it slowly faded away. He waited. Nothing. He felt something build up inside once again and had to let it out; but it was nothing close to sadness. No. All that was left was boiling anger. He threw back his head and screamed until he was out of breath and finished it off with, "**GOD DAMN IT!"**

He hung his head and sat trembling. For the first time since they left, Boris spoke.

"Balto, we should go."

He laid a wing on Balto's shoulder; his last mistake. Balto screamed and whipped around clubbing Boris in the side of the head with his paw causing the old goose to fall barely conscious onto his back. Balto stood over his friend and put his paw down on his neck, pushing down ad grinding until his ears received the distinct click and pop of a broken neck. He temporarily regained himself and let out a saddened quivering breath before lifting off. He sat down beside his lifelong friend and madness surged again.

"Well, one problem taken care of anyway," he said to himself and let out a psychotic chuckle.

Not two minutes after he finished his raving, he heard a twig snap nearby making his ears perk up and flick around. A rustling sound made Balto slowly raise, the hairs on his back and neck bristling on end. Quite suddenly, the bear charged in on the opposite side of the clearing.

"Finally," Balto muttered to himself as he eyed the oncoming killer.

He dashed toward the bear that was now on all fours and latched onto his nose grunting and growling his hatred as he bit down ever harder until his teeth wouldn't sink any further. The bear whipped his head back sending Balto flying through the air landing him on his back twelve feet away. Balto stood up and shook himself off as the ear lumbered forward. Balto sailed in and sank his teeth into the large animal's Achilles; biting down until he heard it pop. Blood seeped from the wound and into his teeth. The bear cried out and fell to the ground, landing its legs across a back down Balto.

The bear stood up on all fours before Balto could recuperate forcing the hybrid to retreat. The bear had the upper hand and Balto knew it. He quickly kicked away on his back. The bear's muzzle nearly contacted his. He continued back then felt something poking his shoulders. He risked a quick glace behind him. Branches! The bear was within three feet of him and Balto backed up ever further bending the branches as far as they would go. He ducked to the side and watched with pleasure as they whipped forward and broke across the bear's muzzle. He slid on his back down the bank and out into the river, coming to a halt in the middle.

The bear exploded out of the trees with a snarl three-legged limping down the bank and out onto the ice. The ice cracked with every step the bear took. It couldn't take much more. A sudden idea hit and Balto backed further away; the bear –as expected- followed stepping down harder onto the ice. The tried to stand on his hind legs, but couldn't and fell back to all fours, putting his front paw through causing the ice around them to web out and sent a crack in between Balto's legs. He jumped to the side to avoid falling through when it split and cold brown water gushed out. The bear lumbered forward and the ice could no longer stand the strain. It gave through and the bear disappeared from sight crying out as it went; an almost perfectly rounded hole marked where the bear fell through ad Balto stood regaining his breath.

A cruel smile spread across his muzzle and he spat into the whole. "Burn in Hell," he said coarsely, then turned and began limping back to shore. _SNAP! POP! _"NO!" Balto cried looking around franticly. The ice began cracking all around him and he looked at the horrific sight of a circle snaking around him. He began franticly trying to run but the ice began to tilt. With one last desperate attempt, Balto hooked his paws over the lip of the ice, but couldn't hold on and the ice flipped completely over, trapping him underneath. The current was extremely swift and it carried him away hurriedly, hitting him on the ice above him every few feet. Balto quickly began losing wind and his lungs screamed for him to breath. He sucked in hard and took in a mouth full of the frigid water. He coughed violently sending bubbles ticking up his cheeks. He struck the ice again making him breath in involuntarily again with the same result. All feeling slowly faded and the world around him began to turn black. Jenna's image appeared in his mind. Balto smiled and closed his eyes.

Epilogue

A young man sat with a homemade fishing pole fashioned from a springy sapling whistling to himself. The fish weren't biting, but at least this calm part of the river had thawed and gave him an excuse to get out of his lonely home. Something drug in his line making him open his eyes. He jerked the rod back and felt disappointment wash over him. He peered out into the river to scope out his next spot to cast and saw a furry mass wash up onto the bank about twenty yards to his right. He threw his rod down to the bank and ran over to the dog sized mass. He knelt by its side taking in the wolfish features mixed with husky feature as well and felt the hybrid's chest. His heart beat slowly and weakly in the cavity of his body. The man scooped the wolf-dog up into his arms and carried him away.


End file.
